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Bihar journalist murder: 5th accused arrested near Indo-Nepal border, says police
40-year-old journalist Vimal Kumar Yadav was shot dead at his residence at Premnagar locality at around 5:30am in Bihar’s Araria district on August 18
The fifth accused involved in the alleged murder of a Hindi daily Dainik Jagran journalist was arrested on Monday night from a village in Bihar located on Indo-Nepal border in Jogbani, police said.
40-year-old journalist Vimal Kumar Yadav was shot dead at his residence at Premnagar locality at around 5:30am in Bihar’s Araria district on August 18.
Eight people were booked in connection with the incident, which the police have claimed to be a result of an “old enmity”.
Confirming the arrest, superintendent of police (SP) Ashok Kumar Singh told HT that the accused was picked from Chanakya Chowk on Indo-Nepal border in Jogbani.
Also Read: 4 held for Bihar journalist’s murder, 2 absconding: Cops
“The arrested accused has criminal antecedents, and several cases of serious nature are pending against him”, Singh added.
SP said, “So five accused in the case have been arrested and police teams have been carrying out raids to nab the sixth one,” hoping that “the last accused is most likely to be arrested within a day or two.”
Out of total eight named accused, five have been arrested so far while two are in jail in connection with other criminal cases in Araria and Supaul districts.
Police have taken them on remand for interrogation.
Bipin Yadav, Bhawesh Yadav, Ashish Yadav and Umesh Yadav were arrested late Friday evening the day when the journalist was killed.
The other two accused Rupesh Yadav and Kranti Yadav are in Supual and Araria jail respectively.
“We have succeeded in arresting Arjun Sharma, now the police are carrying out raids to arrest the last accused Madhav Yadav,” police said.
Last Friday, Araria police registered a first information report (FIR) against eight people on the basis of a complaint lodged by the slain journalist’s father under sections 302 (murder), 120(B) (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (criminal act done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant section of the Arms Act.
Journalist Yadav was the only eyewitness in the murder case of his brother Shashi Bhushan Kumar alias Gabbu Yadav, a sarpanch of Belsara panchayat, who was killed in 2019.
